Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:22:06 -0500 From: Chieko Mori <chiekonopsamspam-ON.com> Subject: Intermittent Radiator Warning in 94 9000
Hello, everyone. Just discovered this newsgroup. I've been getting an intermittent "Check Radiator Level" warning on the instrument panel of my 1994 Saab 9000 CSE Turbo, now 51,000 miles. I first noticed this warning 14 months ago, at about 33,000 miles. The temperature gauge has always looked normal (no overheating indicated), and the coolant level at standstill has always been between the MIN and MAX marks. The warning is intermittent. There was a period of time in the last year when the problem seemed to have disappeared. But lately, I'm seeing it more often. Everytime I go to the Saab dealer for other repairs, I mention this problem. I was told that the sensor for this warning is simply a float that detects the level of coolant in the plastic reservoir (the one with the cap). The dealer always says that they can't find anything wrong, and that it's probably a sensor problem, and I should just ignore it, as long as the temperature gauge remains normal. On my last visit (which BTW was for the SRS light--- they "reset the code" and then the SRS light wouldn't come on anymore), I asked them to look into the radiator warning again. This time they did a pressure test. It was OK. They replaced the coolant. (Not sure why. Was this necessary due to the pressure test?) But the warning is still coming on. They concluded that the coolant flow is reduced (i.e., the system is partially blocked) and that I should go to a radiator shop to have the radiator "rotted". Does anyone have any thoughts on, or seen, this problem before? I'll try to clarify with the dealer, but for now I'm wondering... 1. It's not clear to me how they came to the reduced-flow conclusion. If the system is indeed partially blocked, why is that causing the sensor (supposedly a float) to think that the coolant level is low? (Remember, the temperature gauge registers normal, and the coolant at standstill is between MIN and MAX.) 2. I understand that "rotting" is a kind of cleaning. Is this true, and is it the same as "coring"? Should I do as they suggest? Could the dealer just be guessing? Perhaps it is a sensor or computer or some other problem? I don't know how expensive "rotting" is, but I'd rather not do it if it isn't necessary and if the problem is really something else. TIA, Chieko
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